| An experiment using PEG6000 to induce water stresses was carried out to evaluate the effects of seed soaking with different chemical substances on the germination and seedling growth of maize. The results showed that although different chemical substances adopted in seed soaking did not significantly affect the germination rate and vigor of maize seeds, they increased the heights of maize plants and the index of health maize seedlings. Seed soaking with the chemical substances increased the biomass of maize seedlings and this increase under water stresses was remarkably higher than that under normal water condition. Seed soaking with the chemical substances increased the overall root length by 5.01％～50.83% under moderate water stress (ψs=－0.4 Mpa) and by 0.32％～23.38% under weak water stress (ψs=－0.2 Mpa); compared with the root lengths, the root dry weights and the indexes of health maize seedlings in the other treatments, The root length, root dry weights and the index of health maize seedlings in seed soaking with CCC +ZnSO4 were high under water stresses, indicating soaking seeds with CCC +ZnSO4 could play an important role in raising healthy maize seedlings. |